Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



May 18 1926. 1,585,356

W. P. ALLEN RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed August 4. 1924 INVENTOR 1 7 4R 02%.. Q'Z'W 2 4 Patented May 1%, 1925.

WALTER P. ALLEN, J GIT "T53, HEY? JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE ULIION sw-ircn' a nan cor-Irena, swrssva n, rnnnsrnvanrn, A coaro'narroiv OE PENNSYLVANIA.

BAILiETAY-TEEAFFEEC-CQHTRGLLING AIPAEATUS.

Application filed August 132/5 filerial H0. 29,919.

My invention relates to railway traiiic controlling apparatus of the type wherein triadic governing means located on the car or train is controlled by energy received from the trackwa-y and the supply of energy from the traclrway to the tran depends upon trailic conditions inadvance of the train. The present invcn' n is particularly well adapted for ap 1 of this character in which the governing means on the train requires the constant supply of energy from the traclrway to prevent an automatic application of the brakes, al-

though it is not limited to this specific aptation.

In connection with systems of this na ture, it has been proposed to provide apparatus on the train under the control of the engineer for restraining the automatic application oi the brakes it the engineer takes suitable action at the time of cessation of the supply of energy from the trackway, and it has also been proposed to provide'auxiliary means located at intervals in the traclrway for supplying energy to the train after the cessation of the normal supply or energy, thereby causing an automatic application of the brakes when the auxiliary supply of energy ceases un by again operating the suppressing apparatus already referred to. The features just mentioned are disclosed and claimed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,492,- 719, granted to R. A. McGann on ll lay 6, 1924.

One feature of my invention is the provision, in a system of the type just referred to, of means for checking the auxiliary means located in the trackway for supplyenergy to the train.

I will describe one form of apparatus em bodying my invention and will. then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view showing one term of apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference characters 10 and 11 designate the track rails of a railway along which traiiic normally moves in the direction indicated by the arrow, and which rails are divided 1y insulated joints 12 into a plurali y of blocks Av -B, B- G, etc. Located adjacent less the engineer prevents such application apted to indicate stop, cauti or proceed, 'lhe apparatus for col trolling these signals Wlll be referred to here nafter,

it being suiiicicnt to say at the present time that each signal indicates proceed when the corresponding block and the block next in advance are unoccupied, caution when the corresponding bl cl; is unoccupied and the block next in advance is occupied, and stop when the corresponding block is occupied.

Each block is provided with means or connecting a source of alternating train controlling current across the track rails at the exit end of the block. As here shown, this means comprises a transformer which is desi nated by the reference character F, with an exponent corresponding to the loca tion. The primary winding 6 of each transformer h is connected with a transmission line D which line is constantly sup- Jlied with alternating train controlling current by a suitable generator E The secondary 7 of each transformer F is connected across the rails through a Contact designated by the reference character H, with an exponent corresponding to the location. This contact is controlled by the adjacent signal S in such manner that the contact is closed when the signal indicates proceed or caution, but open when the signal indicates stop. It follows that alternating train controlling current is connected across the rails of each block when the signal for the block'next in advance indicates caution or proceed, that is, when the said block next in advance is unoccupied, but that this source of current is disconnected from the rails of the block when the block next in advance is occupied.

Located adjacent the exit end of each block is an auxiliary means for supplying train controlling energy to trains traveling along the trackway. This means, as here shown, is a trackway loop designated by the reference character L, with an exponent corresponding to the location, which loop is constantly connected with the secondary 8 of the adj accnt transformer F through the winding of acheclring relay designated by Lil the reference character K, with an exponent corresponding to the location. lhe function of the relays K will he pointed out hereinafter.

The traclm'ay apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawing i intended for cooperation with train carried apparatusan such manner that when the train is supplied with train governing energy from the trackway an automatic application of the brakes is prevented, but that when the supply of train governing energy from the tracliway ceases, the brakes will he applied automatr cally unless the engineer takes suitable action to prevent such appli :ation. lhe train carried apl aratns is omitted from the drawing for the reason that it forms no partcf my present invention. no form of tramcarried apparatus which will operate in the manner specified, is illustrated and described in the McCaun Patent No. 1,432,719, referred to above.

The operation of the apparatus thus descrihed, is as follow As shown in the drawin a train V occupics the hloclc immediately to the left of mint A. so that sia'nal ti indicate. SlO) l r, 7

and the sup 'ily of tra in controlling energy to the track rails of block A B is discontinued. Signal S indicates caution, and signal S indicates proceed, so that train controlling energy is supplied to the rails of block B and the block to the right of point C. If now a following train moving in the direction indicated by the arrow enters block B it i i l receive a proceed indieation throughout this hlocl' and so may pass through he entire block without incur ring an automatic application of the braiics. When such following train enters block AB, however, the supply of train controlling energy from the tract rails to the train will be discontinued and an automatic application. of the brakes will, he incurred unless the engineer takes suitahle action to restrain such application. When the train passes over the trackway loop L the traincarried apparatus will again he energizer, and as soon as the train leaves this loop the train-carried apparatus will again become deenergized, thereby again causing an automatic application of the b akes unless the engineer again Jake-s suita le act in to restrain such application.

Each block is provided with a tracl: circuit comprising a transformer designated by the reference cha acter 'l, with an exponent corresp n1ding to the location, and a track relay designated by the reference character It, with an exponent corresponding to the location. As here shown, each transformer T is located adjacent the entrance end of the hloek and the primary of each of these transformers is connected with a. transn'iission line I) constantly supplied with alternating track circuit current by a generator in. Each track relay R is locatet adjacent to exit end of the block and comprises a track winding 2 connected across the track rail and a local winding 3 supplied with current from the transmission line l relay further comprises a rotor l opcratin a contact 5 in such manner that the contact is closed when the block is unoccupied, and open when the block is occupied.

Each signal S is provided with a circuit which passes from the upper wire of the transmiision line D through contact 5 ot the track relay It for the corresponding; hlock, contact 9 of the checking relay l: for the corresponding block, and the operating mechanism of the signal to the lowe' wire of the transmission line D it is understood that each signal will he further provided with additional controlling); apparatus, hut for purposes of the present ini ention it is sufiicient to say that each signal will indicate stop, unless the circuit just traced is closed at both contacts 5 and Assuming now that the auxiliary loop r" liiecouies broken, or that the supply o t current to this loop is interrupted for any reason whatsoever, it will he apparent that a train passing over this loop would not receive the second automatic ln'alqe application referred to above, and, conse uiently. such train n'iight enter the occupied liloc to the left of point A without being properly under control. If this loop is broken, however, or if for any other reason tile sup 7 of train governing energy to the loop interrupted. the checking relay E will he open, so that signal S will he at stop. (loin tact H will then he open, so that the ff. pply of train governing energy to the rails of block B-C will he interrupted, whereupon a following; ti'ainwill receive an automatic Ji'tlh'O application at the point C and a sew oud automatic hralre application at the loop L. The relay H thus :liunctions as an anto- .iuaticcheck on the integrity of the loop and the circu t supplying energy to this loop.

The foregoing explanation of the function oi. relay lI applies to each of the remaining." relays K.

I do not in this application inahc a1 claim for the combination of a trawl comprising a source of energy at the trance end and a track relay at the exit togetl'ier with means for suppl yiire' governing energy to the tra it his at exit end of the hloclc, such combination he inc; the invention of Robert G'lson, and disclosed and. claimed by him in an application filed on the nineteenth day of August, 1924, Serial No. 732,927.

Although I have herein shown and. described only one form of apparatus einl'iodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim is:

1. Railway traflic controlling apparatus con'iprising a series of main trackway circuits for supplying controlling energy to trains continuously under sate traffic condi tions but not under unsafe tral'lic conditions, a plurality of auxiliary trackway circuits for supplying controlling energy to trains at spaced intervals, and means included in each auxiliary circuit for governing a main circuit.

Railway traiiic controlling apparatus comprising a series of main trackway circuits for supplying controlling energy to trains continuously under sate tratlic conditions but not under unsa're tra'liic conditions, a plurality of auxiliary trackway circuits for supplying controlling energy to trains at spaced intervals, a relay included in each auxiliary circuit, and means for controlling a main circuit by each relay.

3. Railway traflic controlling apparatus comprising a trackway divided into blocks, a main circuit for each block for supplying energy to trains throughout the block under sate tra'll'ic conditions but not under unsafe traiiic conditions, an auxiliary circuit for each block for supplying energy to trains through only a portion of the block, and means for governing the main circuit for each block by the auxiliary circuit for a block in advance.

4:. Railway traffic controlling apparatus comprising a traclrway divided into blocks, a signal for each block, a main circuit for each block governed by the signal for the block next in advance for supplying energ to trains throughout the block under sate tra't'flc conditions in advance but not under unsafe traflic conditions in advance, an auxiliary train controlling circuit for each block for supplying energy to trains through only a portion of the block, and means for con trolling each signal by the auxiliary circuit for the associated block.

5. Railway traiiic controlling apparatus comprising a t ackway divided into blocks, a main train controlling circuit for each block including the track rails of the block for supplying energy to trains throughout the block under safe traiiic conditions in advance but not under unsafe traffic conditions in advance, an auxiliary train controlling circuit for each block including short conductors parallel with the rails of the block ttor supplying energy to trains through only a portion of the block, and means for governing the main circuit for each block by the auxiliary circuit for a block in advance.

6. Railway trafiic controlling apparatus comprising a traclrway divided into blocks, a main train controlling circuit for each block for supplying energy to trains throughout the block under sate trafiic conditions in advance but not under unsafe traffic conditions in advance, an auxiliary train controlling circuit for each block for supplying energy to trains through only small portion of the block, and means for governing the main circuit for each block by the auxiliary circuit for a block in ad- Vance.

7. Railway tral'lic controlling apparatus comprising a trackway divided into blocks, a main train controlling circuit for each block for supplying energy to trains throughout the block under safe trafilc conditions in advance but not under unsafe traiiic conditions in advance, an auxiliary train controlling circuit for each block for supplying energy to trains through only a small. portion of the block, a signal for each block controlled in part by the auxiliary circuit for the associated block, and means for controlling the main circuit for each block by the signal for the block next'in advance.

8. Railway traiiic controlling apparatus comprising a trackway divided into blocks, a signal for each block, a main trackway circuit for each block controlled by the signal for a block in advance for supplying energy to trains throughout the block under safe tratlic conditions in advance but not under unsafe trai'lic conditions in advance, an auxiliary trackway circuit for each block for supplying energy to trains through only a portion of the block, and a relay included in each auxiliary circuit for controlling the signal for the associated block.

9. Railway trathc controlling apparatus comprising a series of main trackway circuits for continuously supplying energy to trains by induction under sate traflic conditions but not under unsafe tralfic conditions, a sedes of auxiliary trackway circuits for supplying energy to trains inductively at spaced intervals, and means included in each auxiliary circuit for governing a main circuit in the rear.

10. Railway traflic controlling apparatus comprising means located in the trackway for supplying train controlling energy to trains continuously under sate traflic conditions but not under unsafe traffic conditions, auxiliary means located in the trackway for supplying train controlling energy to trains at spaced intervals, and means for controlling said first means by said second means.

In testimony whereof I my signature.

ALTER P. ALLEN. 

